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Nikon DSLR and manual focus lenses
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 27, 2009 8:06 pm    Post subject: Nikon DSLR and manual focus lenses Reply with quote

D40, D40x, D60, D3000 and D5000 - all the models with a push-in minimum aperture sensing switch - are safe to mount pre-AI lenses.


PostPosted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 5:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

take also a look at this table:

http://www.aiconversions.com/compatibilitytable.htm

looks like pre AI lenses shouldn`t be mounted on a D200...?
though at the end in the green note 2, it says:

"The metering systems in these bodies require the microprocessor used in autofocus lenses (and a few unusual manual models). As a result, ambient light cannot be metered when using AI, AI-s or Series E lenses. Fortunately however, aperture and shutter speed can be set manually."

which is not true for bodies like D200 and above, i think

i`m really new to MF lenses, so take this with a grain of salt


Last edited by tomasg on Sat Nov 28, 2009 8:35 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 7:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nikon body and lenses, one of the best compatibility charts on the web


PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 5:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

tomasg wrote:
take also a look at this table:

http://www.aiconversions.com/compatibilitytable.htm

looks like pre AI lenses shouldn`t be mounted on a D200...?
though at the end in the green note 2, it says:

"The metering systems in these bodies require the microprocessor used in autofocus lenses (and a few unusual manual models). As a result, ambient light cannot be metered when using AI, AI-s or Series E lenses. Fortunately however, aperture and shutter speed can be set manually."

which is not true for bodies like D200 and above, i think

i`m really new to MF lenses, so take this with a grain of salt

Hi Tomas and Forum.

I'm using D700 with lenses made back as far as 1967. My non-AI lenses were converted by John White of aiconversions.com. He did a splendid job. Quick turnaround. Great communications by email. Anyone wanting to use old Nikkors on a new digital Nikon have no reason to fear. They can be modified. And as noted in a post above, some models require no modification at all.

I think it is pretty remarkable that most Nikon lenses all the way back to 1959 will work on the newest digital bodies with only minor modification available from John White and a few others like him.

I wonder how many here are old enough to remember when Canon abandoned its loyal following and did the FD to EOS mount switcheroo. Nikon stayed the course, and I am very happy about it.

Happy day.

Smile


PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2010 1:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

One point I've mentioned in other threads is that 3rd party Nikon mount Pre-Ai lenses for the most part will mount & can be used on any Nikon DSLR. Of course, there are limitations when it comes to metering (models below the D200 will not meter with any non-AF lens), but in terms of being able to mount, most will mount. I use several 3rd party Pre-Ai on a Nikon D70s & I have one Pre-Ai that I won't mount as it is a bit too tight for my liking (I however still have a few Nikkormat cameras for that lens).


PostPosted: Wed May 19, 2010 9:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

another remark to 3rd party non AI lenses: if the aperture ring is made of metal, you might just fix with epoxy a small metal sheet at the right position of the collar and you´ll get aperture reading by your camera as with AI lens.
The body ignores the half steps and switches just after 2 half steps to the next aperture value. Did this with old Vivitars - unfortunately cannot provide a foto beause i sold them, replace by MF Nikon lenses. If you need such a thin metall, beeing able to be bended, ask you next framer for some flexipoints


PostPosted: Thu May 20, 2010 4:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

An if you are willing to use a rasp, you can convert your Non-Ai to Ai lenses!

Here is a nice site with full rundown how to do it and where to file to get the correct aperture reading on bodies D200 and above and the whole D1 series.

http://www.chr-breitkopf.de/photo/aiconv.en.html

Just did this with my Nikkor-Q 135 f2.8 and it works absolutely fine!


PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 7:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

As far as I understand, Nikon D7000 should support all types of Nikon lens. Twisted Evil


PostPosted: Wed Oct 13, 2010 7:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

peterbald wrote:
As far as I understand, Nikon D7000 should support all types of Nikon lens. Twisted Evil

Yes, but the compatibility chart specifically says "AI converted". Which means that it should work about like the D200, D3, D700, etc, when it comes to manual focus lenses. Well, except that the D7000 won't do matrix metering with non-CPU lenses. Then again, it's only half the price of a D700.


PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 3:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The D7000 will meter with Ai lenses and it will do Matrix metering, if you enter the focal length and Aperture of the lens!


PostPosted: Wed Mar 09, 2011 4:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Esox lucius wrote:
Nikon body and lenses, one of the best compatibility charts on the web


I am not sure about that. Generally, yes, but there are many traps to fall in, actually.


PostPosted: Thu Mar 10, 2011 3:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

LucisPictor wrote:
I am not sure about that. Generally, yes, but there are many traps to fall in, actually.


Yes, it breaks my heart to write that Ken Rockwell is right on something but with that page he is actually quite close... There's a better page at Nikonians.org but that's available to paid memberships only.


PostPosted: Thu Mar 29, 2012 8:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am D40x Smile


PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2012 10:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Karhallarn wrote:
The D7000 will meter with Ai lenses and it will do Matrix metering, if you enter the focal length and Aperture of the lens!


Confirmed with my 50mm 1.8 AI and my recent Kaleinar 5H 100mm 2.8 Wink


PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 8:35 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I noticed something weird while using MF lenses with my D90.
It confirms focus and later on when I upload the pictures on the computer I can see that in fact the focus point is behind the intended one. Especially with lenses around 100mm. I noticed same for two completely different lenses.
Is it a problem with my camera or maybe the AF settings have an impact, although I'm not using AF at that moment?
The focusing screen is in place and is helping a lot, but with some pictured objects especially in dim light I'm still struggling to see anything though the viewfinder and correct focus confirmation would be very helpful.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 10:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

try focusing the other way around... I always take two photos, one's focused from macro to inf. and the other from inf. to macro... give it a try Wink


PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 10:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, I'll try. I locked the focus point in AF settings just to make sure.


PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 2012 1:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good advice from Nikon D.

After a lot of trial and error I've found that I get better results by focusing from macro to infinity. Then, as soon as the focus light confirmation light comes on, I press the shutter.


PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 9:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am trying to give a friend (using Nikon D5100 if not mistaken) a MF lens as a present. If I remember correctly, most M42 lens does not work properly on Nikon bodies. Is this correct? Besides Nikon AI/AIS lens, what other MF lens can Nikon DSLR bodies takes with an adapter?


PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 11:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nikkor and Medium format lenses fit with glasless adapters!

M42, Minolta MD etc. all fit only with adapters incorporating a glas element, which reduces the image quality more or less, depending on lens.
The result I got with my Soligor 55mm f2.8 Macro and my Vivitar 28mm f2.5 on my Nikon D200, which are two very good lenses where usable but nowhere near the results my Samsung GX20 (Pentax K20D) produced.

I would stick to Nikkor lenses!

Cheers,

Karhallarn


PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 11:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Karhallarn wrote:
The result I got with my Soligor 55mm f2.8 Macro and my Vivitar 28mm f2.5 on my Nikon D200, which are two very good lenses where usable but nowhere near the results my Samsung GX20 (Pentax K20D) produced.


Maybe the extra pixels on the GX20 sensor helped ?


PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 11:56 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

No!

Softer results due to glas element! without glas element everything was much much better!


PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 12:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Karhallarn wrote:
No!

Softer results due to glas element! without glas element everything was much much better!


So you tried the lenses on the D200 with (i) an adapter with a glass element and (ii) an adapter without a glass element ? You didn't say so in your first post.


PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 12:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, I did but as they only focus on close distances without the glas on the Nikon, I mentioned my Samsung GX20, which reaches infinity without glas!

Cheers,

Karhallarn


PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 12:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Karhallarn wrote:
Yeah, I did but as they only focus on close distances without the glas on the Nikon, I mentioned my Samsung GX20, which reaches infinity without glas!

Cheers,

Karhallarn


OK - Thanks. Which "glass" adapter did you use ?